of philadelphia



(No MoaeI.)

I. ENGEL.

OPENER OR OLOSER POR FOLDING DOORS.

Patented July 10,1894.

A TTORN E Y.

I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I J iIiili TME OSIRIS IIIIIIIIMIIII I/mss UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISIDOR ENGEL, OF PHILADELPHIA, .PENN SYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GABRIEL FRIEDMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND MALIE ENGEL AND SARAH WOI-IL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

. OPENER OR CLOSER FOR FOLDING DOORS.

SPECIFICAZTION forming part f Letters Patent No. 522,936, dated July 10, 1894. Application filed November 14, 1893. Serial No. 490,880. (No model.)

To aQZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsIDoR ENGEL, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-IIungary, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented` a new and useful Improvement in Openers or Closers for Folding Doors, which improvement is fully set forth 'in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

`My invention relates to an improvement in a device for simultaneously opening and closing the members of a pair of folding doors, and consists of a rack which extends from a box, the latter being adapted to be connected with one of the doors, a rack adapted to be secured to the other door, and of such length as to be retained Within said box, a hanger which is adapted to be secured to the frame above the doors, and a pinion which is mounted on said zo hanger and meshes with said racks, said hanger also serving as a guide for the rack which proj ectsfrom the box, thus simplifying and cheapening the construction of such devices.

Figure 1 represents a partial front View and partial vertical section of an opener and closer for folding-doors embodying my invention, the doors being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view thereof on an en- 3o larged scale, the parts being separated. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section on line fr, Fig. l, on an enlargedscale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures. p

. Referring to the drawings: A designates a` box, from one end of which projects the rackB.

C designates a pinion which is mounted on hangers D, the latter being connected with 4o the top of a door frame at orabont the center thereof.

E designates a rack which is provided with an attaching ear F, and located beneath the rack B, and has its outer-end portion within 45 the box A, it being noticed that the pinion C is intermediate of the two racks and meshes with the same, so that motions may be imparted to the two racks 'in opposite directions.

'Ihe box A is secured to one door and the rack E to the other door, the operation being as follows: When either door is drawn open, the rack connected therewith rotates the pinion, and the latter moves the opposite rack,whereby the other door is opened. When a door'is closed, the rack is rotated in reverse direction, and thus the other door will be closed. The rack E is of such length that it remains within the box A at all times, it being thereby guided in its motions and prevented from lateral displacement or dropping at its free end. The hangers D also serve to guide the rack B, thus preventing lateral play hereoi and keeping the same true in its moions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

l. The box A with the rack B connected with and projecting therefrom, the rack E below said rack B, having the attaching ear F, the stationary hangerD, the pinion C mounted in said hanger and located intermediate of the two racks B and E, said rack E occupying the box A, `as the guide thereof, and the rack B being within the hanger D, as the guide thereof, the parts named being combined substantially as described.

2. In a door opening and closing device, the

box A with the upper rack B secured thereto, the opposite lower rack E, the pinion C between said racks, .and the stationary hanger D carrying said pinion, said rack E being passed through said box A, and projecting beyond the outer end of the same, and said rack B projecting from the inner end of said box i and passing through the hanger D above thc pinion O, the parts named being combined substantially as described.`

ISIDOR ENGEL.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, A. P. JENNINGs. 

